UPDATE: Vicki Momberg's lawyer a no-show, case postponed

File: Former estate agent Vicky Momberg is accused of racially abusing black officers who attended to her after she was involved in an alleged smash-and-grab incident.
Photo: eNCA

JOHANNESBURG - Disgraced estate agent Vicki Momberg who was caught on a cellphone camera referring to a police officer in derogatory terms may have to represent herself if her legal representatives are not present at her next court appearance, a Randburg magistrate warned her on Tuesday.

Momberg is accused of racially abusing officers who attended to her after she was involved in an alleged smash-and-grab incident in Johannesburg. A video of her racist rant sparked widespread outrage.

The court heard that Momberg was caught on camera using the k-word 48 times. Her psychiatrist argued she had a psychological condition at the time of her outburst although she had the ability to differentiate between right and wrong.

She faces four charges of crimen injuria.

During a brief court appearance on Tuesday, Magistrate Pravina Raghoonandan told Momberg that no more postponements would be granted and that if her legal representatives were not present she would have to deliver her closing arguments herself.

Earlier, defence attorney Greg Morris requested a postponement due to advocate Joe Davidovitz not being available as he was suffering from severe stress and Parkinson’s disease.

Morris submitted a doctor’s note to the court and said that Davidovitz would only be available on October 13.

The attorney then said they could only proceed at the end of October as Momberg was travelling to KwaZulu-Natal. Raghoonandan said she understood Davidovitz was not well but would only allow a postponement to October 17.

State prosecutor Yusuf Baba put it on record that Momberg had 21 days until her next court appearance and whether she proceeded with the same attorneys or not, he wanted the matter to proceed.